I got 6 - ’68 clones in the mail today. When I opened the package I thought I got ripped off. Emitters were definitely not XR-E like I assumed. After I started testing them, it turns out that they are brighter than my others and throw better also.
Here are the pics of the emitter. Is that an XP-E? And what is this driver. After looking at it, I decided to try a 14500. It didn’t blowup. The driver is single mode.
I ordered these because they were $3.50 each, shipped.
Looks like it is XPE
http://flashlightwiki.com/Cree#XP-E
EDIT: What is the highest draw from the lot on NIMH and 14500?
yes, xp-e and the driver is the typical sk68 driver that is doing fine on both NiMh and 14500.
The xp-e emitter by itself does not throw better than the xr-e (just a bit less, but is also gives a less ringi beam), but the driver could make the difference.
Where did you get this one so cheap? (I did not follow those sk68 deal threads) I need a couple of them for a school project.
Got them here,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00828MZ3W/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are now $3.40, free shipping. I tried 2 other listings from the same seller at 3.55 but they are all the same. This link refers to the cheapest of the 3.
1.35A NiMH AA
2.10A TrustFire protected 14500
Alot of the SK68 clones came with XP-E emitters as yours did above. im not sure about the ones you recieved, but most of the XP-E SK68s i got seem to be a bit of a blueish tint and not so neutral white as the original Sipik SK68s with the XR-E, EZ 900 & EZ-1000 series emitters i have.
I’ve seen that linked several times over the past few weeks… are they decent quality and worth $3.40?
Wow, if those aren’t backwards and are on fresh cells that has got to be one hot light with 14500. Highest oem driver draw I recall seeing.
What is worse, to spend $7.50 each and be disappointed or spend $3.40 and be disappointed?
DenBarrettSAR is right, they are a tad on the blue side. Overall, I am OK with them.
I suppose a better question than ‘is it worth it’ is do you happen to have a Sipik SK68 to compare them against? I’ve got one en route via FT… actually, I guess I can get one of these too, and if it doesn’t match up then give it to a friend rather than have it sit unused.
Do you think you would fry it with an IMR like an efest 14500? Might be interesting to see.
I have a couple real Sipik SK68s, and various cloes including the Ultrafire, UltraOK, and generic branded ones and the sipiks have the most neutral best tint of all of them.
DANG IT !!!
I just bought 2